TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals played it safe with their first two picks in the NFL draft, so felt they could take a bit of a gamble with their third.

It turned out to be a big gamble: The Honey Badger.

Believing a one-time Heisman Trophy finalist could turn his life around after a series of slip-ups, the Cardinals used their third-round pick on Friday to take LSU defensive back and kick return specialist Tyrann Mathieu.